Trying to make a plan for a fiero build, looking for advice. (Page 1/2) McCool APR 29, 11:16 PM Hey guys, I'm planning to do a ground up rebuild on a Fiero some time within the next few years. I was bitten by the Fiero bug 15 years ago and I am still in love. So I want to do this build right because I plan on having this car till I die. It would be a vehicle I would drive only on special occasions or for the sake of taking it for a spin and I want to love every minute of my time in it. What I want: Fastback I want something that is a pleasure to drive, my wife and I like to go for drives just for the sake of it. We'll go for an hour or two, talk, maybe grab a meal or a coffee somewhere nice. Air conditioning is a must, this car will be a summer car and I am a total baby when it comes to sitting in a hot car. I want to have more power than the 2.8l can dish out. I'm not looking to win any races, I'm not a speed demon, but I also don't want the car to be completely gutless. If I want to put the pedal down every once and again I'd like there to be a little power there. I want better braking ability, and if at all possible, I'd like to have a little more confidence in the suspension and handling. I want it to have the throaty rumble of a car from the 80's. I don't want it to be obnoxious, honestly like how the stock 2.8l sounds, maybe a little more rumble would be nice. I'm slightly above the novice skill level when it comes to automotive work. I'm an electrician by trade, and I have done a decent amount of work on old OBD1 vehicles. but I'm no mechanic so the simpler the build the better. I want to have a car that I love, I'm not going to penny pinch this build, I've already saved up a fair bit of money and I am ready to invest it in this car. With all that said, here is my current loose plan. I want to use my 85 SE 4spd 6 cyl as a potential donor car. It has all the options (aside from power locks). The car originally came with A/C but the previous owner took the compressor out at some point, but the lines are still present. The structure of the car is in rough shape. It lived it's first 20 years in southern Ontario (they salt the roads there) and was driven in the winter, so the rusting is pretty bad. I'm thinking I should pick up Fiero of any year with the only requirements being that it have a 5 speed, is a fast back, and has a underbody that is in great shape. My end goal would be to have a 5 speed, 3800 (SC or NA) fastback, with Air-conditioning, CC, power windows & mirrors and having it run like a top. obviously this may be possible without cannibalizing my 85, but its an option I have. based on the cursory reading I've done, the 3800 swap isn't crazy difficult and is probably the best fit for what I want. I would try to find someone who does custom exhaust to take care of that for me and also try to find an expert to take care of the A/C system, since I feel that it's out of my ability. What I am looking for is some input from the community and maybe a little guidance on my rough plan as I have it so far... Does my plan seem coherent? should I bother with swapping the options over from my current car to a potential new car or wait and hope that the perfect car comes up for sale and do a 3800 swap into it? Patrick APR 29, 11:26 PM quote Originally posted by McCool: I want it to have the throaty rumble of a car from the 80's. I don't want it to be obnoxious, honestly like how the stock 2.8l sounds, maybe a little more rumble would be nice. My end goal would be to have a 5 speed, 3800 (SC or NA)... Have you actually listened to a 3800? The Fiero's 2.8 sounds fantastic compared to a 3800. Seriously. If you want rumble, go for a 4.9 Easy8 APR 30, 12:01 AM I vote wth Patrick. Not is only the Caddy motor better sounding it has more low end grunt. Way more fun off the line and just messing around. The caddy swap is pretty easy to do as well. Brakes... The only issue with Fiero brakes are the fade with heat. There are alot of choices to get vented rotors in a fiero.. just remember if you use larger rotors.. you need new rims, then tires. As far as the suspension goes.. polly the bushings and get new sway bars and you are set for 99% of anything you can do on the street. In the end, you can build your car (or pay to have it done$$$$) but honestly keep an eye out for a car with some, most or all of the work you want done. Swapped cars show up pretty often here. (I picked up one a few years ago, needed some work but it was well worth it) Remember the old rule.. you are lucky if you get half of what you invest in a car back when you sell it... the side of that to be on is the buying side. cvxjet APR 30, 12:06 AM I have owned my 1985 SE V6 since I took delivery in May, 1985; After 20 years it wouldn't go into 2nd, so I found a Getrag....and also picked up a 3.4 long-block from an F-body and installed them. The 3.4 under the L44 induction system only gives you 20 more HP, but it is at a lower RPM (Kind of like installing a better gear ratio in the differential) So my car now gets to 60 in approx' 6.5 seconds and runs the 1/4 at around 14.8........ Later, I installed an 88 rear subframe/Suspension/brakes, then a year later converted the front brakes to 88 calipers with 12" C4 Discs......I rebuilt the front suspension with the newer (Camber-adjustable) Ball joints.....I also have some crazy mods to the stabilizer bar mountings so that I get very good turn-in but very mild oversteer on cutting the throttle. The steering feels substantially faster because the car turns in so quick. I also converted the rear quarters to a 86-88 GT...But did not install the ground-effects, and kept the 85 SE fascia in back. Later I installed an 87-88 front fascia. I can't post a pic here- I was trained to fix electronics in teh Navy and can fix anything MECHANICAL, but computer programming is an alien language....... McCool APR 30, 12:19 AM quote Have you actually listened to a 3800? The Fiero's 2.8 sounds fantastic compared to a 3800. Seriously. Not in real life, no unfortunately. Can I get the AC to work with a 4.9? quote There are alot of choices to get vented rotors in a fiero.. just remember if you use larger rotors.. you need new rims, then tires. As far as the suspension goes.. polly the bushings and get new sway bars and you are set for 99% of anything you can do on the street I'm not worried about buying new rim's and rubber, it would likely happen regardless...does it make sense in my case to focus on finding an 88? From what I understand 88s did that stuff stock no? Patrick APR 30, 03:35 AM quote Originally posted by McCool: Can I get the AC to work with a 4.9? With all the 4.9 transplants into Fieros that have been done, I'd be awfully surprised if hooking up the A/C was any problem at all. olejoedad APR 30, 08:44 AM The fastest and least expensive way to achieve your goals is to buy a car already set up the way you want. They are out there, and sell for less than the owner has invested in it. Easy8 APR 30, 09:12 AM I use a caddy A/C compressor on my LT1 car. The only hard part was a custom set of lines to connect compressor to the car. I made them my self, I got a cheap set from a junk yard and filled them with sand. Then carefully formed them to what I needed and then cleaned the living &#^$ out of them. Had to take them to a custom shop to have them weld and crimp on the flex part. Cost me right at $100 for them all said and done. I did not do tons of research on here looking for lines I was in a hurry, so they may be out there. Solero APR 30, 04:29 PM I have a 1988 GT with power windows, power locks, cruise, sun roof, rear spoiler, updated stereo, remote start, and alarm that has a swapped 4.9 auto with air sitting on 16" rims/tires that I have for sale. McCool MAY 01, 11:37 PM quote Originally posted by Solero: I have a 1988 GT with power windows, power locks, cruise, sun roof, rear spoiler, updated stereo, remote start, and alarm that has a swapped 4.9 auto with air sitting on 16" rims/tires that I have for sale. Thanks for the offer, but I'm set on a standard, and Michigan is a far ways away from me. I'm in northern Alberta. quote The fastest and least expensive way to achieve your goals is to buy a car already set up the way you want. They are out there, and sell for less than the owner has invested in it. I know you are right, but I am genuinely concerned that the car I want won't come up for sale. Every year there are fewer and fewer Fiero's on the road. Since there weren't many in northern Alberta to begin with, it leaves me in a tough spot. That's why I was hoping to take advantage of the fact that I already have one Fiero that has a lot of the things I want and I could piece it together with a another fiero. Here is an example of a car in my area that has most of what I would want in a fiero… I could take the seats, AC, and mirrors off my 85 and piece them into this one, get a paint job and I'm looking pretty good. is that a foolish idea?